Mecklenburg County NcArchives Obituaries.....Alexander, Syndneham B. June 14, 1921 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Danielle Mozingo danisue1970@yahoo.com September 30, 2010, 11:58 pm Charlotte Observer, June 15, 1921 S.B. ALEXANDER DIED YESTERDAY ----- Former Congressman Passes After Long Illness. ----- One of Leading Citizens Many Years - Funeral Services at 11 This Morning. ----- Captain Syndnham B. Alexander, Sr. Who died at his home 400 West Trade street, yesterday morning at 3 25 o'clock, will be buried this morning following the funeral services which will be conducted at 11 o'clock at the home by Rev. Albert Sidney Johnson, pastor of the First Presbyterian church and Rev. E.A. Osborne, chaplain of Mecklenburg camp United Confederal Veterans, assisted by Rev. R.H. Morrison, a cousin. Captain Alexander was one of the leading men of the city, having served on various local bodies and as state senator and representative of his district in Congress. He was also a leader of the movement of the American Cotton associateion 12 years ago which undertook to put in the hands of the farmer the control of his crop. In many other ways he served his city, county and country. He was one of the oldest survivors of the civil war living in the city, having been in his eightieth year. Paralysis and heart trouble had made him practically an invalid for the past six years, though at times he talked and was able to appear on the streets in his automobile. The imprint which he made on Charlotte and on the state will not soon be forgotten. He was the father of the first good roads law which brought Mecklenburg into the public notice for many years, with her system of macadamized roads. The active pallbearers at the funeral today will be W.A. Graham Jr., Joe G. Davidson, Bedford Brown, Hall Irwin, Alston Morrison, Major W.R. Robertson, Brevard McDowell and E.R. Preston. Honorary pallbearers will be W.D. Alexander, Archibald Graham, Dr. Alexander Grahm, Charles McDonald, of Concord, Shakespeare Harris of Cabarrus county, Col. A.L. Smith, Dr. M.A. Bland, Captain W.B. Taylor, W.W. Ward, Albert McCoy, W.W. Rankin, J.S. Shafer. Captain Alexander was born at Rosedale Mecklenburg county, December 8, 1840, at the family home of the Alexanders ten miles from this city. He was a descendant of John McKnitt Alexander, signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, and was the youngest son of Dr. Moses Winsolw Alexander, daughter of General Joseph Graham and a sister of Governor William Aa. Graham. After attending school at "Alexandriana" near his home, and Rocky River academy in Cabarrus county and the Wadesboro institute he went to the University of North Carolina in 1856 graduating four years later and entering the Confederate service as a private in the Hornets Nest riflemen. His company was mustered in as company B, 1st North Carolina afterwards gaining the title of "Bethel" regiment and in March, 1862, was made 1st lieutenant in company K 42nd North Carolina regiment shortly after being made captain because of his bravery and ability as a soldier and fighter. He was made inspector general on the staff of General Hoke, remaining in active service till the time of the surrender in 1865. His devotion to the local camp of Confederate veterans was well recognized and every soldier in that war was to him a hero and a brave man to be recognized. In politics Captain Alexander was a democrat and a strong upholder of southern principles. After leaving the service at the close of the war he entered public life, where he steadily advanced from one post of honor to another using his strong mind and able powers to aid in the upbuilding of the devasted land for which he had fought four years. His vision was not narrow but his principles were rockbed and he never sacrificed one idea of right for the most tempting opening that might offer itself in compromise of his fixed belief in justice and rectitude. Mecklenburg sent him to Raleigh as her senator five times the years of his work there beginning in 1878, 1882, 1884, 1886 and in 1900. He declining to make the race in 1888. It was in 1878 that he was active in putting through the Mecklenburg road law, which gave the county precedence in good roads for many years thereafter. There was opposition to the county road law for several years because of the tax feature but this was overcome after a section of macadam road had been constructed, and his repeated re-election to the state senate after 1878 was largely due to the success of the road venture in the county. Captain Alexander was nominated candidate for lieutenant governor by the state convention of 1886 but declined. He was one of those who brought about the establishment of the old North Carolina Agricultural college, now the Agricultural and Engineering college. He was a trustee on the first board of the older institution. In 1900 he was elected to Congress from his district which then extended to the Atlantic, serving two terms. He was a member of the committee on agriculture at Washington, and was president of the North Carolina railway for some years. Captain Alexander represented his state on a commission to fix the boundary line between this state and South Carolina, but the committee never had opportunity to act as the South Carolina legislature failed to give its approval to the movement. Captain Alexander was married in 1872 to Miss Emma Nicholson, daughter of Thomas W. Nicholson, of Halifax county. Six children were born to them, these being S.B. Alexander Jr., of the firm of Alexander & Garsed, Thomas W. Alexander, member of the Charlotte bar, Dr. Emory Alexander surgeon of Philadelphia, who headed a hospital unit to France in the world war, and received the rank of colonel, Miss Julia Alexander who was the second woman in the state to be licensed to practice law, and who is now practicing in this city, Miss Violet Alexander, of this city president of the ladies' auxiliary of the Hornets Nest post, American legion, and one daughter who died some years ago, Miss Pattie Thorne Alexander. Six grandchildren, Mary Prevard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S.B. Alexander Jr, Thomas W. Jr, Frank Spruill, Alice Winston and Sydenham Benoni, sons and daughters of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas W. Alexander and Harriet Beaver, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Emory Alexander, of Philadelphia, also survive. Several years after the death of his first wife, Captain Alexander married Miss Louise Perry, of Franklin county, who died a few years later. Members of Mecklenburg camp, United Confederate veterans and several organizations of the D.A.R. and others will attend the funeral services in a body. Provision has been made for the Confederate veterans to meet at the armory whence they will be taken to the funeral and cemetery in automobiles. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/mecklenburg/obits/a/alexande1494nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ncfiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb